QuakeCon is set to return as an in-person event on August 10th, and there are rumors that id Software might announce a remastered version of Quake II to mark the occasion. The details of the remaster are not yet available, but if it follows the path of the enhanced version of Quake released in 2021, it might include support for widescreen resolutions up to 4K, upgraded visual effects, and possibly new content.
Quake II was originally released in 1997 and was a significant improvement over its predecessor in terms of technology and gameplay. It introduced objective-based gameplay, semi-open worlds, and visual effects upgrades like colored lighting. The original release focused heavily on single-player mode, but it quickly became popular for multiplayer thanks to updates and third-party upgrades.
The rumor of a Quake II remaster is not entirely surprising, as a Quake II Remastered game was recently rated by South Korea’s game rating authority, and similar documents were seen for North American and European ratings. Remastering classic games like Quake II keeps them relevant and allows players to enjoy them on modern platforms without resorting to unofficial modifications and ports.
If the rumor is true, the remastered version of Quake II could be available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch, and it might also be available through Microsoft’s Game Pass at launch.